“There is an appropriate way to use your story, not as an excuse but as a testimony to God's ability to free you from the past.” -Andy Stanley
Most of us have been hurt at some point in our past. We've faced incredibly difficult situations. Some of us choose to rise up from the ashes, while others allow their pasts to haunt them for many years. When life has dealt us a number of bad cards, it is easy to look for someone to blame. We might let anger, bitterness, and resentment permeate our lives.
Your story is important. Your hurts are valid. Your life matters deeply. And it's okay to take time to wrestle with difficult emotions and cry out to God. But don't let the rest of your life be strangled by your past! When we let our past dictate everything about our future, we miss out on the grace, peace and redemption that God has for us! By seeking ways to heal from our past and move forward, we become vessels of God's light to the world. We show others through our testimony that we have been in the darkness and come out of it shining! What things from your past still need to heal? What story can you share with others to give hope to those around you in similar situations? If you let God work in your life, your past becomes a story of overcoming, of strength, and of hope!
"Come and hear, all you who fear God, and I will tell what he has done for my soul." Psalm 66:16
Journey on!